SHAPING THE FUTURE

John Anthony Sahs is a globally recognized automotive designer and creative executive with over 30 years of experience in the automotive industry. His career spans across continents, brands, and design disciplines—from advanced concept development to full production execution in both exterior and interior design.

Over the last decade, John has focused on design leadership and project management, guiding multidisciplinary teams and shaping products for global markets. His journey has taken him through some of the world’s most respected OEM studios, including Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Japan, Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Stuttgart, and Nissan Global Design in Atsugi, Japan.

John’s portfolio includes work on iconic concept and production vehicles:

  • Mercedes-Benz Maybach Show Car Interior (Tokyo Motor Show, 1997)

  • Nissan GT-R Concept Car Interior (Tokyo Motor Show, 2001)

  • Nissan SERENITY Concept – Exterior Lead (Tokyo Motor Show, 2003)

  • Nissan Cube (3rd Generation) – Lead Exterior Designer (Global Release, 2005)

  • DENKI-CUBE Concept – Interior Designer (New York Auto Show, 2008)

  • Nissan Rogue / X-Trail (2nd Gen) – Advanced Development (Launched 2014)

In 2012, John returned to California as Senior Creative Interior Design Manager at Nissan Design America (San Diego), overseeing interior design development for both Nissan and Infiniti brands in North America.

During this time, he led and contributed to award-winning concept vehicles:

  • Nissan Resonance Concept – Project Lead Designer
    Winner of “Eyes on Design” – Best Concept Car, NAIAS 2013

  • Infiniti Synaptic Concept – Project Lead Designer
    Winner of “People’s Choice Award,” LA Design Challenge 2014

  • 2016 Nissan TITAN – Project Lead Designer

  • TITAN Warrior Concept (2017) – Sr. Creative Interior Design Manager

  • Nissan V-Motion 2.0 Concept – Sr. Creative Interior Design Manager
    Multi-award winner, NAIAS 2017

Today, John serves as Design Director of Nissan Design Latin America, based in São Paulo, Brazil. He is responsible for the creative direction and design strategy for Nissan’s projects throughout South America.

In addition to his corporate design work, John is deeply passionate about mentorship and education. He maintains active collaborations with design schools across the United States and Brazil, and has served as a guest lecturer at the prestigious ArtCenter College of Design, Pasadena, California, MAUÁ Institute of Technology, and IED, São Paulo, Brasil. His mission now includes guiding the next generation of professionals through his upcoming mentorship program, KŌJŌ—a VIP, global design mentorship experience built on a Senpai & Kohai philosophy.

photo by Adriana Yamamoto